" So Sri Lanka "...a questionable statement
When PATA was preparing the Annual Tourism Monitor, early results for 2018 showed a collective annual increase in foreign arrivals into Asia Pacific destinations. Sri Lanka with a Year-to-date, Year-on-Year 15.3% increase at that time, made it to the ‘Top 5’ Asia Pacific destinations. Alas, and as always, where we start with a ‘bang’ and end with a ‘whimper’, we slid downwards, and, as at end October 2018, our 10.6% year todate increase tells the tale. As the country plunged into a crisis of chaos since late October, the likelihood is that the increase in arrivals in 2018 over 2017 will be a single digit percentage.
Going by October 2018’s meagre 0.5 percent year-on-year (YoY) ‘arrivals’ increase, it would appear that the Rs. 65 million volume-driving strategic campaign ‘Island Escapes’, operational from September to November this year, has hardly made any impact. Interestingly, it is the same advertising agency that curated the set of packages for ‘Island Escapes”; that conceived Sri Lanka’s brand identity - ‘So Sri Lanka’.
Defending the tagline, SLTDA’s then chairman confirmed that the tagline is indeed ‘So Sri Lanka’ and went on to explain the rationale behind it. “Yes, it is So Sri Lanka. If something happens we say it’s ‘so Sri Lanka’. So we’re focusing on authenticity.” One can the deduce that this authenticity encapsulates the good, the bad and the ugly.
Of all of the selections Lonely Planet issues every year, there is one that all NTOs wish, dream and strive to be ranked number 1 on, “Best Country to Visit”. Been ranked therefore… as the number one country to visit in 2019 is a huge boost to Sri Lanka. Lonely Planet produces content in more than 14 languages, has over 13.5 million followers on social media and it’s annual top 10 list is like a ‘must do’ every traveler should have on their bucket list.
The destinations selected for Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel must offer travellers an outstanding experience in the year ahead; it could be that something special is going on in the recognised year, that it offers travellers new things to see and do, or that Lonely Planet’s team of experts consider it overlooked and underrated, and recommend travellers visit before the crowds do.
This distinction is big news for Sri Lanka and it remains to be seen as to how Sri Lanka tourism will use this coveted ‘Top Country’ billing to awaken the curiosity of the most go-ahead globetrotters - one that goes beyond the island’s history, culture, coastline, beaches, wildlife, tea estates and waterfalls.
Whilst Sri Lanka is aiming for a higher influx of visitors, the volume of foreign arrivals needs to be managed in terms of distribution across the destination, especially if growth rates remain high. The country has yet to shift from a ‘volume of arrivals’ mindset to other performance metrics including length of stay and visitor spend as primary indicators. Then there is the question of properly understanding tourisms impact on the environment and society at all levels.
When Chile was voted the No.1 ‘Best Country to visit’ in 2018 by ‘Lonely Planet’, it used that accolade to overcome one of its biggest tourism drawbacks: short stays. Targeted promotional campaigns, the development of new tourism products as well as destinations, and renewed diversification of experience succeeded in reversing this tendency. Despite a 14.3 % increase in ‘visitor’ numbers in 2017 over 2016 and where tourism spending also rose 35.6 percent to around 4.2 billion U.S. dollars…guess what? It resisted the temptation to chase volume. Instead, for 2018, Chile targeted a modest 8.5% ‘arrivals’ increase over 2017.
Chile, which lies along the so-called ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’, where nearly 90 percent of the earth's earthquakes occur, capitalised on Lonely Planet’s ‘endorsement’. Can Sri Lanka, encircled by a ‘Crisis of Chaos… do the same?
Report by In2ition
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